The Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna Air Vice Marshal MA Yakubu recently received a team from the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) Abuja on a courtesy visit to the Institute.
While speaking, the Director General DRDB Major General Godwin Aham Umelo said that the purpose of their visit was to acquaint AFIT of its activities and to seek partnership with the Institute as a foremost research organisation. In highlighting the activities of the Agency, the DG said that DRDB is a coordinating body that sponsors research in institutions, innovative centers and research agencies that are affiliated with the military. He said the Agency has successfully sponsored two professors and a doctor from the Centre for Energy Research Ahmadu Bello University Zaria on IED Detection. He said this was achieved due to the existing partnership between the DRDB and the Defence and Research Development Organization of India. While welcoming the team, the Commandant, Air Vice Marshal Yakubu thanked them for the timely visit. He also identified areas of collaboration that need to be explored especially with ongoing Research and Development efforts in AFIT. He listed nine areas of research being sponsored by agencies like the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TetFund), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and others. He therefore called on the DRDB as a coordinating agency for military research and development to give adequate attention to boost and strengthen research efforts in AFIT.
According to the DG DRDB, the major drive of the agency is to focus on how to support military troops involved in fighting insurgency, counter terrorism and other forms of criminality by providing locally fabricated support weapons, personal protective equipment as well as ready-to-eat meals for personnel in the battle field. Air Vice Marshal Yakubu in his closing remark called for deeper collaboration with the DRDB and urged that they focus on solutions for specific military challenges. He further charged the agency as a coordinating agency to go round military units and explore areas of challenges within the Armed Forces.